M. Karunanidhi has no right to talk about state autonomy concept as ‘’he only used it as a weapon to bargain with the Centre” said AIADMK and former CM J Jayalalithaa.

Jayalalithaa lashed out at Karunanidhi on Monday saying, “Even as all the rights of the state, including the 69 per cent quota are at stake, Karunanidhi has taken up state autonomy as a weapon to bargain with the Centre”.

Jayalalithaa referred to a resolution adopted by the DMK parliamentary committee on issues like education and tax and said that the government had given up state rights on matters such as Katchatheevu and inter-state disputes like the Cauvery, Mullaiperiyar, Pal ar, Ponnaiyaru and Pambaru and therefore had no locus standi to speak about state autonomy.

He had “remained silent” when she had in 2005 insisted upon amending the Constitution to empower states to decide upon reservation in private institutions and cancelling the common admission test Jayalalithaa charged.